Fear
by Puzzlefreak14
Summary: Fear is a horrible thing, eating you from the inside out until you are nothing but a hollow shell of your past form. This is what Barkclaw feels, horror, terror towards the cat who knows, knows what he found out. If word gets out, if he says one little thing, he is done. And he knows it. One-shot. Rated T because of warrior violence and because I'm paranoid.


**A/N: This is my entry for an ImagineClan challenge, Hiding in Plain Sight, and is indeed a one-shot. I hope you guys enjoy it! **

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He's out for me. He's going to get me. He hasn't yet, but he will. One day he will, one day I will snap and he will succeed, and rip me to _shreds! _I can't stay hidden forever. One day I'll crack, and that will be the day where he will get me. I'm not safe. I'm never safe. I must keep hiding his secret. Hiding it in plain sight. That's all I can do, all I can hope to do so he doesn't get me. I can remember it now, that one day. Oh, that horrible, retched day when he found out, found out that I knew! The worst day in my life, that was. However much I want to, I'll never forget it...

* * *

_Snow fell softly in the air, resting on the already thick blanket of snow on the ground. A dark brown cat trotted around, sniffing the air around him. His bones were bulging prominently from his hide, a noticeable sign of his hunger. A scent whisked by him, perking him up, but he relaxed. It was just another Clanmate, trying to find food like him in the desolate climate of Leaf-bare.  
_

_He padded towards the new cat. A dark gray pelt emerged in his view, now striking against the pure white landscape. Having recognized the stranger, he raised his voice to greet him. "Hey Stormfrost, are you having any luck?"  
_

_The burly tom turned his massive head towards him. In his jaws, hanging by the tail, was a scrawny little mouse. He carefully placed in the snow before speaking. "Not much. All I caught was this little thing and a small blackbird down by the berry bushes." he said, pointing his tail towards the area. "How about you?"_

_The brown tom shook his head, almost in sadness. "I haven't caught a thing so far. I'm hoping if I go near the oak trees I can catch a mouse or two."_

_"I wouldn't count on it," his companion advised, "The whole Clan's been going there, thinking the same thing. There's nothing left over there."_

_"Oh," he said, a little disappointed. He shrugged it off. "I'm sure there's more prey elsewhere, I just need to find it." he said, determined to feed his beloved Clan. _

_Stormfrost glanced at the sun, it's feeble rays barely penetrating the dense layer of clouds. "Sorry Barkclaw, but I need to go. I promised Ivystripe that I'd be back before sunhigh. Good luck with your hunting!" And with that he trotted away, towards the berry bushes to reclaim his prey before heading towards the camp.  
_

_The brown tom watched him slowly disappear from his view before turning around to resume his hunt. _"The oak trees have nothing," _he thought, _"but maybe the Tall Reeds do." _With new determination, the brown warrior changed direction and starting making his way towards the landmark._

_Arrived at the Tall Reeds, he paused to scent the air. The Tall Reeds, were, as it's name stated, an area graced with high reeds, some even taller than a twoleg kit. These reeds grew all along the bank of a river, a river which also separated two Clans apart. Often, small animals would come to these reeds for protection or to seek building materials for their nests, so it was a popular hunting spot. _"Hopefully, no-one's picked this clean like the oak trees." _he hoped. And with that, he started his hunt._

* * *

_Some time later, the tom returned to camp with his measly catch. It wasn't much, just a thin vole he found at the Tall Reeds. But any prey was good in Leaf-bare, so he didn't mind. Not slowing his pace, he skipped the fresh-kill pile and walked towards the nursery, wanting to feed it's hungry occupants. Trying not to catch his fur in the thorns that lined the den, he squeezed his way inside._

_Inside, the comforting smell of a mother's milk reached his nose, and memories from his past flooded his mind. Pushing them aside, he walked to the back of the nursery where a ginger she-cat lay. Around her, three little kits slept soundly. She looked weary from her responsibility as well as her age, and it was obvious that this would be her last litter. She purred when she saw him come. "Hello Barkclaw. Is that a vole I see with you?"_

_Barkclaw gently set the morsel down next to her. "It sure is! Did you get anything else today?" he asked, concerned. The queen nodded. _

_"Blossompaw and Redpaw came in earlier with a few mice, but that was it. I'll gladly take that vole off your paws if you wish." she requested with a purr. Barkclaw smiled and pushed it a little closer. "Of course it's for you, and for them too of course." he added, gesturing to the kits with his tail. "Well, I'd better leave. Bye Flamebreeze, bye kits!" he said before exiting the den.  
_

_Outside, the snow was still falling. Paw prints littered the ground, remnants of the day's past events. Few cats milled around here and there, but most were out on some patrol, or the odd sick cat who was at the medicine cat den. Seeing the sun fade below the horizon, and considering the day's events, the warrior decided to retire for the night. _

_A quick walk brought him to the Warrior's den, a fallen tree with vines and brambles woven in the branches to create a barrier to protect them from the elements and animals alike. Ducking his head, he crawled inside the dark damp den. Since he wasn't a senior warrior, but not so young, his assigned nest not so much in the center nor the sides, but was somewhere in the middle of the den. Once he arrived, he made sure there wasn't any thorns or brambles in his nest, and lied down to sleep.  
_

_A scuffling noise woke Barkclaw up. Alert and focused for what could be a threat, he swept his head from side to side and strained his ears to try and locate the source. It wasn't until his eyes properly focused to the darkness of the night that he could see where the sound was coming from; a dark shape was exiting the warriors den. Courage rushed trough his veins, as well as a slight dash of curiosity. He got to his paws and crawled outside, trying not to make any noise to alert the creature. He knew it was a warrior, he could tell by it's smell. But why not have a little fun now and then? _

_His paws sunk softly in the powdery snow, hardly making a sound. Peaking around the entrance of the den, he prepared to sneak on the warrior, but saw something that rose confusion and suspicion inside him. The warrior he was following was taking things from the fresh-kill pile! Why would he, or she, do such a thing, especially in leaf-bare? _"Maybe they have a good reason,"_ Barkclaw thought. _"maybe they're bringing it to an elder or someone." _His guesses were quickly proved wrong. He watched as the warrior grabbed a couple of small mice from the pile and ran behind a giant rock, far from any dens or lodgings. _"What could he be doing there?"

_Barkclaw quickly yet quietly trotted after it. Peeking around the massive boulder, he could see a tear in the wall that defined the camp, a hole leading to the outside world. Making sure the mysterious cat wasn't right behind the wall, he sniffed around. An overpowering smell of dung hit his nose, and he almost recoiled at the odor. Confused, he stuck his head out of the hole and padded out.  
_

Splatch! _His front paw squished into something on the ground. Looking down, he could see a patch of fowl goo: dung. It had fresh tracks in it, and some areas were flattened to a pulp. A little impression of a mouse was nearby. _"He or she must be disguising their scent."_ he thought. _"This is not good, not good at all..."_ Unsure what to do, Barkclaw hesitated for a bit before pressing on. Whatever this cat was doing, it had to be stopped. Prey was more important in Leaf-bare then any other time. Whatever this cat intended to do, he had to get the food back. _

_It was rather hard to track the elusive cat. The smell of dirt mixed well into the forest, even in Leaf-bare. The scent he grasped on would constantly shift or waver, growing sometimes as strong as a angry badger or as weak as a baby mouse. Sometimes. he lost the scent completely so he was forced to wander around, grasping for it again. He could not even rely on prints in the snow, for during the night the top had frozen over into hard, almost icy, snow, Tracks could not be made, so they could not be found. _

_After much running and tracking, he finally found the end of the trail, or so he thought it was. The scent lead him to a thick patch of thorns and bramble branches, being weighed down by the snow that had fell. Underneath, he could just make out a dead decaying log, hollow by the looks of it. Gathering his courage, he sneaked inside the wall of thorns and went to peak inside the rotten piece of timber from a hole on it's side._

_The warrior held back a gasp. Inside the log, piles of prey were stashed, caked with mud and dung. A little puddle of melting snow lay in the corner, and next to all this sat a warrior of his Clan, sitting calmly in the middle of the prey. Barkclaw watched as it took a mouse from the pile, scraped off the mud the caked it's fur and dunked it in the melting snow to clean it off. When it was satisfied with it;s cleanliness, it began to take big bites from the dead creature, eating it quickly and swiftly. Barkclaw could not believe his eyes. It was immoral. It was gluttonous. It was Stormfrost._

_Memories pieced together in his mind. This one moment he had witnessed explained many questions he had had before. Why everyone else haggard and thin while Stormfrost always stayed the same. Why Stormfrost always seemed to always bring at least one thing back to the fresh-kill pile, gaining him the reputation of an excellent hunter. Why most warriors were exhausted at the end of patrols while he seemed perfectly fine. He would not have believed this if someone had told him this, but he was seeing it himself. He started to ignore Stormfrost's glutonny and focus more on his memories and explanations.  
_

_A movement caught his attention. The gray warrior had stopped eating, his ears full alert. Had he spotted him? He waited, perfectly still, as the gray warrior looked around. Relief washed over him as he watched Stormfrost dismiss his concern. However, the muscular tom picked up a few clean pieces of prey and headed out of the log, through an entrance in the back. _

_Barkclaw's gaze fell away from the hole unto an invisible point in the snow as he tried to think of what to do. Should he run and tell his leader? Probably not. That will cause too much of a ruckus, and besides, it's not even dawn yet. Should he wait until morning to announce the wrongful ways of his Clanmate? Yes, that seemed like the best choice. He would tell Swiftstar in the morning. His priorities set, he turned around and started to crawl out of the bramble bushes.  
_

_He stopped in his tracks. A sound alerted his ears, a whisper in the wind. Before he could even dismiss the noise, a heavy weight fell upon him, and pinned him by the neck. Panicked, he writed on the ground, but it was hopeless. He was pinned down good. A sharp prick to his neck made him freeze like a stone. His blood turned to ice as he looked behind him. _

_Stormfrost was pinning him down, laying his claws above his neck. His scowl made Barkclaw gasp, but his eyes gripped him with fear. They weren't his norml eyes, shining with confidence and nobility. These had a murderous glare in them, of one that would kill in cold blood. He watched as the gray warrior bent down and whispered ever so softly in his ear.  
_

_"My, what a bad kitty we have here." he said in mock surprise. "It's not very nice to snoop in other cat's stuff, now is it, Barkclaw?" Barkclaw did not reply. Stormfrost shook his head. "It would be a shame to punish you, really. All this snow everywhere, your blood would be so easy to spot. Besides, you are a really wonderful warrior, and it won't do if you we're disposed of so quickly in Leaf-Bare." Hope began to bloom in Barkclaw's chest. He could escape! "But..." murmured the gray warrior. He stared for a while as he thought._

_Stormfrost stayed silent for a moment, than whispered again: "However, as soon as I let you go you are either going to attack me or run away like a little rabbit to report this to Swiftstar. This is unacceptable. Barkclaw, _unacceptable_." He pressed harder on Barkclaw's neck at the last word. Barkclaw uttered a gurgle, and Stormfrost retaliated with a slash to the muzzle. Beads of scarlet blood started to form from his wound, and Stormfrost growled. "Quiet, or I'll do worse." he threatened. Barkclaw silently agreed._

_"You, my friend, shall not tell another living soul of this encounter, got it? Not one word of this night will ever escape from your jaws. You shall remain silent, even as you do your daily routines, always keeping my secret locked within you. I shall watch you, observe you until your days end. I'll have my vines and thorns snaking around your paws, watching every little movement you make, listening to every conversation you're in. Once you make a mistake- a whisper here, a sign there, a warning to outside lips- wham! I'll have you in my clutches, begging for mercy and pity upon your poor worthless life as I squeeze it dry. Don't ever think you're safe, my friend, for I will always be watching, even when you are sure that you are alone." He lifted his giant paw and slammed it on Barkclaw's head. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the icy glare of his former friend.  
_

_Barkclaw woke up with a start. Memories of his discovery of Stormfrost plagued his mind, until he realized where he was. Looking down, he could see he was tucked in nice and neat in his warm moss nest, not the hard ice and snow he was in before. The dark brown cat started to purr, purr happily as relief washed over him. If he was in his nest, it meant that last night never happened, that it was all a dream,a mere nightmare. Stormfrost had never stored any prey away from the others, or had made those threats to him. He was safe. _

_The more he thought about his nightmare the more it seemed ridiculous to him. Prey stored in the forest? By Stormfrost? It was all too absurd to be true. As happy as a can be, the warrior stretched his limbs and headed outside. The cloudless blue sky was gorgeous, and the snow shined on the ground like the dew on a blade of grass. Every thing was perfect, until he saw it.  
_

_A face, an eye, two eyes. Staring right at his from a bare thicket, gazing into his soul. He froze in his tracks. There was Stormfrost, staring at him. The same cold, dark look was in his eyes, only this time a dash of malice accompanied them. He has kept his promise. Barkclaw's silence has begun._

* * *

A horrible cat he is, absolutely horrible! Ever since that dreadful day he has been watching me, watching me like a hawk. I'll be on a border patrol and there he is, staring at me, making sure I don't tell. I wonder how he manages to do all that on top of his warrior duties, doesn't he have a life? At least on a patrol I'm with others. He can't do much harm when I'm surrounded. But hunting is a different story. Hunting, when one is almost always alone! That's when he gets braver, talking to me, whispering those poisonous words of his too me, to make me scared. It worked. I don't go on patrols anymore. I say I'm sick. Swiftstar is suspicious, but Ivystripe doesn't mind. Swiftstar thinks I'm lazy, which is bad, but Ivystripe knows I have something on my mind, which is worse.

One day, he will get me. I'm sure of it. I'll say something, say a clue to the reason one of Flamebreeze's kits died of hunger, or how the fresh-kill pile would never be completely full in Leaf-bare, and he'll know it. He will come for me, silently, deadly, like a snake, coiled and ready to strike. He'll strike with the force of TigerClan, and I'll be a goner. I won't even go to StarClan, since I never did the right thing. I'll be Dark Forest scum. Like him. He'll get me when he dies. I might have a few moons of peace but then he will die and find me, find me in the black wasteland which is the Dark Forest. I am never safe. He his strong, he is deadly.

He is watching.

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**A/N: I hope you guys liked this one-shot! Please review if you want, or tell me in my profile poll if this is your favorite story out of all my other ones! Have a good day/night, and keep on reading and writing!**

**~Puzzlefreak14**


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